Lee & Low Books

Lee & Low was founded in 1991 by Chinese Americans Tom Low and Philip Lee as a children's book publisher specializing in books featuring people of color and one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the United States.[2] Low says, "There was a void in children's books. Most of the books were targeted to Caucasians or contained animals or fairy tales. There was nothing dealing with contemporary issues and people of color.".[3] Lee & Low published its first list in 1993 and immediately gained attention when its first book, Baseball Saved Us was given a full-page review in The New York Times Book Review.[4]

In 1997, founder Tom Low's sons, Jason Low and Craig Low, joined Lee & Low, and in 2004, founder Philip Lee retired.[5]

Lee & Low Books publishes primarily picture books, but in recent years has also published a small number of middle grade and young adult titles.

In January 2012, Lee & Low Books acquired the backlist titles of the now-defunct non-profit publisher, Children's Book Press, as well as the latter's existing contracts with authors and illustrators, with the name itself being revived as an imprint of Lee & Low Books.[6]

In 2021, Lee & Low acquired Cinco Puntos Press.[7]

In 2015, Lee & Low Books partnered with St. Catherine University and Assistant Professor Sarah Park Dahlen[8] to conduct the Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS). The objectives were to look at 1) Gender 2) Race/ethnicity 3) Sexual Orientation 4) Disability in the publishing industry.[9]

The Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS) was sent to 1,524 reviewer employees and 11,713 publishing employees for a total of 13,237 surveys deployed. The DBS survey results confirmed that the publishing industry is overwhelmingly white, at 79%,[10] which corresponded with the numbers from Publishers Weekly's annual salary survey.[11]

In 1994, Lee & Low began to publish Spanish/English bilingual books and Spanish translations of many of their English titles.[2] The name Arcoiris, Spanish for rainbow, was chosen to reflect the diversity of the books and subject matter.[12]

Founded in 2000, Bebop Books is an educational imprint of Lee & Low. Bebop Books prints leveled books for early readers in English and Spanish.[13]

Tu Books is an imprint of Lee & Low. Tu Books publishes middle grade and young adult science fiction, fantasy, and mystery featuring people of color or set in worlds inspired by non-Western folklore or culture.[14]

Tu Books was founded as Tu Publishing in 2009 by Stacy Whitman, a freelance children's book editor. In March 2010, Whitman joined Lee & Low as editorial director of the new imprint.[15]

In 2000, Lee & Low Books established the New Voices Award to encourage writers of color. The award is open to any United States resident of color who has not had a children's picture book published previously. A winner receives $1000 and a standard publication contract, while an Honor Award winner receives $500. While Honor Award winners are not guaranteed publication, several honor books have been published.[16]

New Voices Award recipients

Books published by Lee & Low have received several major awards, including some given by the American Library Association,[17][18][19] the International Reading Association (IRA),[20] and the New York Public Library.[21]

Major awards won by Lee & Low Books

Authors and illustrators with work published by Lee & Low Books include:

• Lulu Delacre
• Ted Lewin
• Betsy Lewin
• Joseph Bruchac
• Ed Young
• Rosa Parks
• Carole Boston Weatherford
• Pat Mora
• David Diaz
• George Ancona
• John Coy
• Lynne Barasch
• Benny Andrews
• Jim Haskins
• Chris Soentpiet
• Greg Neri
• Kaylani Juanita

• Media of New York City
• List of publishers of children's books

• Lee & Low official website
• Publishing Statistics on Children's Books about People of Color and First/Native Nations and by People of Color and First/Native Nations Authors and Illustrators Documented by the Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)